Just thought I would point you to a fun controversy brewing about an EPA blog that advocates being a vegetarian as an alternative to the environmental devastation caused by meat production. Of course those who believe they were born into the world to have our money are objecting. Here is the blog post. Controversy is sometimes a beautiful thing because you see the real contrasts of viewpoints that were hidden before.

I was just corresponding with someone who spends a lot of time up near the Arctic ice and I was reminded of the film Nine Songs by Michael Winterbottom. Then I remembered that I reviewed that film in 2005, looked a found it on Planet Waves. The review is called Is This About You? It’s our old page style, sans date — I recall this was in early 2005; I was living in Paris and I recall having my first digital camera with me — that would put it some time after Jan. 20, 2005.

Today’s Oracle takes us back to the Aries monthly of May 1, 2005

To keep your momentum you’ll need to move in the direction that seems the most difficult or challenging. Certain factors may seem to slow you down but they’re the ones that you’re using to summon your deeper strength and your unquestionable sense of purpose. You may have noticed that the prevailing meaningless quality of life on Earth is starting to wear a little thin and it’s being replaced by a deep sense of longing and searching. By all indications this is reaching you with a particularly strong pull that is in truth a kind of homing signal. Please don’t make the mistake of not listening to it because it seems too good to be true too difficult to be feasible or an occasion for which you would need to do a little rising up above your everyday routine. That is the whole point.

(The Daily Oracle is a random selection from one of 10,000 Eric Francis horoscopes. New horoscopes by Eric are published weekly plus twice a month in Planet Waves Astrology News and Planet Waves Light. The Oracle itself is a divination tool available to subscribers to either of these services.)

Christina and Heather Fae in New Paltz on Saturday night, with passers-by. Photo by Eric.

Heather Fae is one of the Book of Blue models who has helped me define my photography and also become a galactic and compassionate friend, or maybe we started that way a long time ago. Here are some additional photos of her that have run on the cover of Planet Waves over the past couple of years.

Hi all, this is a low key hello and introduction to a new blog by Judith Gayle, called Jude’s Here.

I’ll be putting links around here and there.

Bon weekend,

ef

Kids, Cousins, Comrades –

Just a reminder, if you have written to me recently, such as about editing, writing a horoscope or coming over for lunch, I may be searching high and low for your email, putting poor Entourage through the paces. If you write to me and you don’t hear back, it’s not personal! Even when things are mellow I have to spin quite a few plates, and there’s always a plate salesman at my door. So, if you’re involved in a project, or have proposed an idea, and you haven’t hears back in say a week, please drop me another note at my dreams@ account. Remind me it’s a re-send. I do my best to keep up…and I’ve even considered hiring an assistant for my assistant. Wait, I already did that! Note, I am the only one who reads the dreams@ account, so depending on how you look at it, I’m on my own, or it’s just you and me.

Thank you and STAY IN TOUCH.

Retrograding into the future,

– Francis Skunk Mouse

Iris and Eric, Blue Studio, Brussels, Belgium.

Cousins,

About two months ago, I put Book of Blue behind a password. At the moment, access to the whole site is free; I send passwords to most people who write in requesting them. Because Book of Blue is so personal, I’m asking that my readers who are interested send a note, tell me a bit about yourself, your age (it’s an 18+ website) and perhaps a photo.

What you send me is confidential, as is the password set you receive. Please send the note to blue (at) bookofblue.com with a subject header that is clear — such as “Book of Blue access.” Depending on what I’m up to at the time your request comes in, it will be anywhere from a day to a week till I get back to you. Please let me know if we already know one another and how.

If you’re not familiar with the project, here is an introduction. There is some stuff available on the Book of Blue homepage, though not a lot. For those who have been following along for a while, perhaps for years, and are interested in exploring involvement in Book of Blue, please let me know. I will take the time to get to know you and we can decide if we have enough common ground to create something new — perhaps we will. You can take part via correspondence, sharing art, or exploring in-person.

Many thanks,

efc

Today’s Oracle takes us back to the Pisces weekly of June 28, 2007

You can thank the gods that Pisces is a water sign: when pushed, pulled or struck, you tend to slip through the hands of those who would do so. People have finally figured out that it’s best to float along on you, seemingly moving on the surface, but really being carried by the whole current of your being. Water, too, often works its changes and experiences its progress gradually, usually beyond the ability of people to perceive, even yourself. It’s too soon after the end of one era and the beginning of a new one to size up what you’ve accomplished, what life has taught you, or to fully evaluate the status of your relationships. Hindsight will be your friend and teacher, but remember that the future is before you, awaiting your steps and your choices.

(The Daily Oracle is a random selection from one of 10,000 Eric Francis horoscopes. New horoscopes by Eric are published weekly plus twice a month in Planet Waves Astrology News and Planet Waves Light. The Oracle itself is a divination tool available to subscribers to either of these services.)